10 years on, ESG has not been able to formulate entertainment policy
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Even as Goa hosts a number of events and entertainment shows, the proposal for an entertainment policy as envisaged during the constitution of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) 10 years ago is yet to see the light of day.
The ESG was established with the main objectives of framing an entertainment policy for Goa and implement it in collaboration with various agencies.
Today entertainment in Goa is handled by multifarious departments such as tourism, art and culture, Kala Academy, Ravindra Bhavans and Kala Mandirs. The ESG on the other hand has only been handling one aspect ~ that of films and film festivals.
Despite the growing demand for formulation of an entertainment policy, all governments cutting across party lines seem to have demonstrated a lackadaisical attitude on this matter creating a divide and dissent within entertainment circles.
“There is need for one body to handle issues pertaining to entertainment for Goa,” said Sharmad Raiturkar presently a governing body member of ESG who pointed out that repeated demands continue to fall on deaf ears.
Raiturkar said that when ESG was formed, its first two years went in setting up the ground work and base for the International Film Festival of India. “Since then this body has been consumed entirely in film festivals and the aspect of formulating an
entertainment policy has been ignored,” he said.
He points out that ESG is now virtually an event management agency for IFFI and round the year entertainment for Goa that should have been focused on by ESG has been set aside.
Likewise Kedar Dhume, Director of Advertising Associates, is also of the opinion that Goa being a destination for family tourism, weddings and MICE tourism should have an entertainment policy which will help devise a system for promotion of good entertainment.
Agreeing that this was an objective enlisted during the constitution of the ESG, Dhume said, “Even a separate cell in the tourism department headed by an Assistant Director could be set up dealing entirely with entertainment for Goa.
Even as the single-window System has been devised under the tourism ministry its role again has been limited to licensing tourism-related events especially those during the year end and beach weddings.”
However Vishal Cacode a former governing body member of ESG felt that this task should be with the Entertainment Society of Goa alone as this was the primary reason for the constitution of the ESG.
“When I was a member on the governing body I had vigorously pursued this matter,” Cacode said.
“Having an entertainment policy for Goa would have helped define the kind of entertainment Goa should promote with the help of experts and professionals,” he said adding that this task if entrusted
to the ESG would have helped it to become self sustaining alleging that its limited role in organizing
film festivals alone has allegedly made it a grazing ground for disgruntled souls.
